Montgomery releases salary data for county employees

Nineteen county employees make more than Leggett

Most Montgomery County department directors might make close to the $200,000, but managers in their departments are not far behind, according to base salary figures released by the county last week.

More than a dozen upper-level managers were in the top 60 salaries, when organized by pay, most making just shy of $150,000. Many mid- and lower-level managers also made six figures, ranging up to about $134,000.

The county released on Dec. 5 its base salary figures — current as of Nov. 1 — on its site data.montgomerycountymd.gov. Made public as part of an effort toward open and transparent government, the site provides direct access to data sets, including employee salaries, cable inspections and complaints, building permits, hospitals, real property taxes and 311 requests.

Among the county’s managers were names like Sally Sternbach, the county’s recently hired marketing manager; Judith Vaughan-Prather, who is executive director of the Commission on Women; Deputy Council Staff Director Glenn Orlin; Robert Hagedoorn, treasury chief in the Department of Finance; and Aruna Miller, a manager in the Department of Transportation’s Division of Transportation Planning and Design, who also serves in the Maryland General Assembly.

Orlin and Vaughan-Prather both earn $149,917 annually, and Sternbach makes $147,000, according to the figures.

Hagedoorn makes $133,992 while Miller earns $110,667 annually.

The salary data shows the county’s 8,511 permanent employees, including full-time and part-time, and can be organized in a variety of ways including by pay. It is also searchable.

County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) makes $175,000, less than 19 of his employees. Six of those employees make more than $200,000. Chief Administrative Officer Timothy Firestine actually pulls in the most, earning $266,266 per year.

An attorney with the Board of Elections, Kevin Karpinski, was listed as earning the lowest county salary at only $2,000 annually. His position was listed as fulltime.

Board of Elections spokeswoman Margie Roher said Karpinski’s salary is like a retainer and he bills for hours, adjusting his retainer accordingly.

County executive spokesman Patrick Lacefield — who as director of the Office of Public Information makes $165,000 — said the county chose to release its salary data because it is one of the most frequently requested records.

“We often have reporters and even citizens who say they want to know how much county employees in general make,” he said.